Method of making steering wheel inserts



July 26, 1932. B. BRoNsoN ET AL METHOD OF MAKING STEERING WHEEL INSERTS Filed NOV.A 18, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l July 26, 1932 B. BRONsoN ET AL 1,869,333

.METHOD OF MAKING STEERING WHEEL INSERTS Filed Nov. 18; 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 26, 1932. B, .BRONSQN ET AL 1,869,333

METHOD OF MAKING STEERING WHEEL INSERTS Fldf Nov. 18. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 QYZOMS.

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July 26, 1932.

B. BRONSON ET AL METHOD OF MAKING STEERING WHEEL INSERTS Filed Nov. 18, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented July 26, v1932 lUNITED STATES PATENT ormai' BUDD BRoNsoN AND EDWARD E. MAREACH, or CLEVELAND, cnrognssienoas To 'rn-E onIo RUBBER -fcoinrnmnv E CLEVELAND, oHIo, 1

A com?'oRArrJIoN or onkro EIE'IHODDE MAKING STEERING WHEEL Ilvsina'rs- Appuoarionfmd November 1s,` 1929. Vserial No. 407,984. T

`vThis invention relates tolsteering 'wheels of the typecomprising a metallic insert built up largelyof sheet metal stampings and gen-v erallycovered with non-metallicsurfac-ing material, andl more particularly to the'sheet metal insert and methods of 'constructing the same. l Y Metallic inserts heretofore provided have comprised a heavy core of cast or forged material, about which the .remaining portions of the vinsert'have vbeenbuilt up from a 'large number of parts and by allarge number of operations. This core hasbeen the source of several difliculties. Being vof a different manufacture, the coremust be constructed separately and hence offers great opportunity for delays in production. Furthermore, the construction ofl the core., whether cast or forged, is comparatively eX- pensive. j

It is therefore an object of the' presentinvention to avoid the difficulties inherent in the core construction referred to above and,

in short, to provide a ycoreless construction.

' It is obviously desirable to construct the insert of as few pieces as possible. If the metallic insert, including the hub, spokes and continuous rim, were to be stamped from sheet metal, this operation wouldresultina prohibitive amount of scrap, inasmuch as the area removed between the spokes wouldV be substantially as great asfthe remaining portions of the insert.' It is therefore ajfurf ther object of the linventionto providean insert comprising hubr spokes and rim` formed from a'single sheetmetal stamping with a minimum amount of scrap.

Other objects and features of noveltywill be apparent as the following description pro ceeds, as read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in `which- "l Fig. 1 is a plan of the completed insert' for a steering wheel, according to the presentin` vention;, 1 i

Fig. 2 4is a section at the line 2-2 of 1 ;1

, Fig. 3 is a plan of a sheet metal blank from' which the insert is to be formed;`V`l

Fig. 4 is a plan of the blank a latter stage; f

'Fig. 5` is an enlarged detail showingthe folding,l U

stage. Fig. 7 is a detail showing further folding;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the cup por-i.4 y

tion,

` j Fig. 9 is a plan of a modified form; Fig. 10 is a section along the line 10-'10 Fig. 6 is a plan of the blankv a further` 'istA Fig. L11 is asection along the line 11-11 of Fig. 9., o

Fig. 12 is a modified section similarlto Fig. 10; o

Eig; 1i is o doa-,an of the modified folding;

VIts

The hub 10 and the spokes 11 constitute i parts of a spider member, whiclihasacen-`l tral cupped portion comprising` an annular flange 13 and a radial flange 14. .A top plate 15 stamped from sheet metal is presseddown insidethe cup portion-of the spider and comprises a disk-like bottoml portionY 16 anda cylindrical side wall `17 from which projects a radial` flange 18..A

A bottom plate 19 also stamped from sheet Y metal is pressed up over the cupy portion of` the spider and is provided with ayradial flange 20 correspondingV tothe liange 18'of the top plate, and yal dependingV cylindrical flange 21 adapted to overlie the'steering masty of the motor vehicle upon which thesteering wheel isV to be mounted. The top plate 15 is provided with a plurality of projections 22 located intermediate the spokes '11 and adapted to be bent down over the spider and under the bottom plate 19, as shown in Fig. 2, tosecure the Vparts in position.

The flange 18 also carries projections 23,

" Yone for each vof the spokes 11, and slightly greater in width, forming tabs 24 which are bent down therearound, enveloping projections'25 extending outwardly from the bot-r tom plate 19v in alignment with each of the spokes.

[The hub 10 is surrounded by va c'ollarj26 which is tapered to correspond to the tapered end yof the steering shaft upon Ywhich `the hub visto be mounted. Theupper end of the collar 26 is provided with a radial flange 27,

whichk underlies the fiat portion 14 of the spider. `The plate 16 is provided Witha central aperture 28 which may receive the upper end of the steeringing shaft,` or provide access therethrough for electrical conductors to the lhorn button switch mounted centrally of a steering wheel.

YThe sheet metal insert described above is I very simple and inexpensive in construction and of sufficient strength and durability for' the purpose desired.v This insert may be constructed by anovel method'now to be g described as constituting an important part vof the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows an integral blank from-which ythe entire insert may be formed, Yand which may be stamped fromV a sheet of metal bya single operation. The band 13, spokes 11 and rim portions 12 are given the same Vreference characters as these parts have in Figs. 1

and 2. VIt lwill be noted that the band 13 is disposed transversely of the blank and that the portions 11 and' 12 'constitute `integral strips projecting therefrom. In Vthe form shown the portions 12 areofset lwithres'pect to the portions 11, resulting 'in an inclined edge 29 and an angular shoulder 30. The outer end of `each portion 12 is notched as at 'i 31, forv a purpose which will Vhereinafter rarity of appear. n Y e.

` Depending fromthe band v13 are a `plu-` ltrapeZoidal portions32 which are to be mitered together 'toformthebot'tom 14 of the cup Vportion ofthe spider. Integral with the portions 32 are apluraltiy of elongatedtrapezoidal portions '33 which are of increased width at their eXtreme ends and are adapted vto be brought togetherlto form the hub 10. The two outer portions 33 are'eac'h provided at their outer edges `with a tab 34, these tabs being adapted to be Vturned inwardly and vbrought together to forni the key by which the hub is secured to 'theend lof 'the steeringshaft. Y

In shaping the blank into ythe forni of insert described, the strip yportions of thev blank are folded so as to divide the rim portions 12 from the spokeportions 11. VAccordingly the outer ends are folded up, the line of the fold being indicated by the dotted line 35, and then folded downwardly,`zthis line-.of fold being indicated by the dotted line 36.

` The other end vof the blank will be folded downwardly, as indicated by the dottedline 37. These operations will give the blank the Y appearance illustrated in Fig. 4, lthe-folding of the strips being illustrated in Fig. 5. The Y folding of the strips is then completed, and the bottom portion of the blank is bent up alongthe edge 38 ofy thefband 13, thus disposing the band at right anglesv vto the spokes 11, bringing the blank into the form shown in Fig. 6, the vtabs 34 :being bent perip-.errdioue intermediate stage of the process,

The band 13 isnow rolledy into the form of avtube'l or'cylinder'by pressing its ends together, which will cause the portions-32m vmiter together to form the bottom 14,"of ythe cup'oftherspider, and the portions will be brought together to form the 'hub 101. In the rolling operation the metal of the portionsf32 75 A 1 .lartothe,projections 33Hat'..any convenient These steps resultfin' theformation shown in Fig. A8.

will, of course, be slightly deformed in order togive a 'true cylindrical contour to the'band 13, and in this rolling operation the -flatprojections 33 will vbe given the desired conical contour.

have the ygeneral appearance of a 'swasjtikaL It 'should be noted that -the folding of lthe rim portions 12 with respect vto the spokeA portionsll will'` leavea substantially 'Itriang'ular pocket 39.. Hence, to complete the rimvfor vthe insert, it is only` necessary to insert the `tip 40 beyond the notch31 in the pocket '39* of the next ri1n Zand spoke portion.- The metal of the portions 12 should v'be'perf manentlyl curved in order to ret-ain'theiny in .90 Afterthis rolling operation the blank will the desired position, after which the cornf Y pleted rim may be givenfany desired crosssection. The collar 26 is fittedlover thehub por-V tions 33, with its flange abutting the'miter'ed kportions 32 and the col-lar and hub portions are rolled into a common conical contour.

The bottomcover'pla'te 19 is pressed up over vthe flan'ge27 ofthe collar, Vand firrr'ijly'pressedy overthe outside'of the rvbandy 13. The ltop cover plate is pressed over the cupped/por-` tion 4of :the spider, with the bottom overlyingthe mitered :portions 32,' andwi'th the flange 17 snugly fitting ins'ideth'e band 13.

The flange y18'overli'es the spokes, andthe and the tabs22and 24'also :berbent down sep" The' method described above enablesfitheV -15A andr 19 are 'under' lise vinsert to be formed from a blank which may be fcut ,from sheet metal with a minimum amount of scrap and shaped intothe desired form by a minimum number ofl operations.'

Several, if not all, of the folding and rolling voperations may be performed by one operation of a press. v i For the purpose of strengthening the insert, the spokesandrim maybe corrugated, flanged, crimped,` rolled, or otherwise operated upon to increase the moment of inertia of their sections. This strengthening of thev spokes may take place at any desired ,point in the process, such as during the stamping of the blank. However, as the rim portions must be curved in order to fit together to form the complete rim, this strengthening operation will ,be performed upon .the rim after the completed rim is formed. It should be noted that this operation will serve to anchor the tips 40 in theV notches 39 even more securely. It is preferred that the spokes be strengthened also after the complete rim has been formed.

It is not essential to the invention that the top plate 15 be secured to the bottom plate 19. As shown in the modified forms of Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12, the top plate and the bottom plate may be independently secured to the spider. Accordingly, a top plate 41 is notched out as at 42 between adjacent spokes at diametrically opposite portions, and the bottom plate 43 is similarly notched at 44 at a position 90 from thenotches 42. The top plate 41 has integral tabs or flaps 45 which are bent down over the spider and folded up thereunder to lie within thenotch 44 in the bottom plate. Similarly, the bottom plate 43 carries flaps 46 which are bent up over the spider, and then folded down thereover, to lie within the notches 42. This construction is otherwise similar to that of F ig. 1, with the exception that the projections 23, tabs 24 and projections 25 are omitted.

As a further modification, the bottom plate may be integral with the collar, as shown in Fig. 12. A single stamping 47 has an integral collar portion 48 and an inte ral spider cover portion 49 with which the aps 46 are integral. er one blank such as shown in Fig. 3 has been cut from the sheet metal stock, the portions 11-12 of a second blank may be cut from the metal remaining projecting from the stock sheet,'which metal was cut from between the corresponding portions of the first blank. In other words, the Vstrips of one blankmay lie between the strips ofthe next. Similarly, the portions 33 Vof one blank, may lie between the corresponding portions of a further blank. In this manner thescrap metal is reduced to a minimum.

In any of these forms, the cupped formation of the center of the insert is not essential and if the same is not desired, the struc- It should be noted that aft` ture and steps Anecessary for the construction thereof may be omitted. -1 f j Accordinglythe lsaine blank may be used; or the band portion of the blank may be made more narrow, being onlyv of sufficientV width to form a ange connecting the spokes.v

the same plane, from which the spokes project integrally also in substantially the same plane. l

j The topplates 15 or 41 will be fiat, when the Vcupped construction kis omitted, and the bottom` plates 19, 43 vor 47 'will also be flat, except for the depending cylindrical flange of'each of these forms., "The cupped central portion may be correspondingly omitted with the further modification hereinafter described. l j j l A modified blank is shown in Fig. 13. The band 13 and the portions 32, 33 and 34 are identical with those described in connection with Fig. 3 and are odset and rolled in the samejmanner. The rim portions 12, however, aremore nearly aligned with the spoke por-v tions 11, shoulders 29 and 30 being formed by the reduced width of the rim portions.

Also, the outer end of each rim portion mitered off, forming a pointed end 40.

-Viith this form as shown inFig., 14 the rim portions 12 are folded only once, along a 45 line 36 whichdisposesthe rim por-A tions at right angles to the spokes. The tips 40 are folded along a line 31 so as to form a sort of flat hook. Thisv hook is fitted in the pocket 39 formed by the fold at 36 inthe adjacent rim portion, and at the same time engaging the shoulder 29 of the spoke inbe desired, with suitable noneinetallic sur-` facing material, preferably rubber.

TvVhile some embodiments ofthe invention have been illustrated and described in great detaihfor the purposes of adequate'disclosure, the scope ofthe invention is not limited to any of the details shown, V'but instead. in-

cludes such modifications and embodimentsv of the broad idea as fall within thegscope of the subjoinedclaims. Y* 'i i 1 We claim is 2 Having thus describedour invention, what l. Ablank for forining a steering'wheel comprising a plurality ofv elongated spoke portions and an elongated riinv portion integral Withfeach vspokeV portion, said riin portions beingofset With respect to their spoke portions. Y Y Y .2. A blank for forming aV steering Wheel insert, comprising ka baiid'portion, initered portions integralY With said band portion at one edge thereof, and hub portions integral With said in itered portionsand oI increased Width at theirfouter ends.

'3. A blank forforining a steering Wheel Y insert, comprising a substantially flat ,sheetV inetal stamp-ing having a band` portion, hub

` portions integral With said band portion at one edgexthereof, spoke portions integral With said band portion at the other edge thereof, and riin portions integral with said spoke portions, said rini portions beingl offset with respect tothe hub portions.

4t. A blank for forining a steering Wheel in,-l sert comprising a substantially flat sheet inetal stamping having a band portion, spoke portions projecting at one edge of saidband portion, riin portions extending from the ends of said spoke portions, and hub portions Y projecting froin the other end of said band portion, certain of said hubpo-rtions being lvvider than the balance of said hub portions. 5. A blank for forming a steering Wheel insert-coinprising a substantially flat sheet iiietal stamping having-a band portion, spoke portionsrprojecting at one edge of said band portion, and hub portions 'projecting from the other ,edge of said band portion, the hub Y portions adjacent vthe ends of said band having tabs projecting from one of their edges,

said tabs being adapted to'be bent inwardly to provide the Wheel with an integral key.

V6; rllhe method of forming a steeringWheel tions and connecting the free end of each rini portion With the integrally connected end portion of an adjacent riin portion.

7. `The inethod of foriningra steering-v'vheelV insert Which consists in stamping out sheet metal spoke portions and riin portions integral therewith and offset Withrespecttheree Vto, folding said riin portions at said offset,

and curving and connecting said riin por-A tions.

V.es

8. The inethod of forniing a steering Wheel insert, Whichgconsistsin stanipingfout a 4plurality Vof substantially parallel sheet iiietal strips integrally connected atene end there-V of, folding said strips intei'niediatetheir, ends to divide'theni into spokeportionsand rini portions, curving saidV riin portions and connecting said riin portionsto forni 'a circle. v

9. The method of forming a steeringvvheel y insert, which consists in cutting outa sheetr inetal blank to form a transverse band por- L.

tion Jwith integral .strips extending from one edge thereof, folding said stripsV to divide them into spoke portions and rim portions,

rolling-said band into the forin'of-a'v tube, and

forming said riin portions into. a circ-le; l0. The nietliod of forming an insert for a steering WheelV which `consists -in cutting a sheet inetal blank toy forin transverse band the outer portions thereof lat an `angle to the V`inner portions, folding said band at an .angle to the plane of said -inner'portions, rolling said band into a tube, and connecting the en d ofeach outer portionto thefinterinediate fold of the adjacent strip.

ll. The inethodvof forming van'insertfor Aa steering Wheel which consists in cutting a sheet metal blankto for-ni atransver'se `band portion and integral strips entendingslaterally from one edge thereof, folding said strips respectively intermediate their ends tozdirect the outer-portions thereof at an angleto the innerportions, foldingjsaid band lat an .ang-le to Athe plane Aof said 'inner portions, rolling said band into a tube, and forniing said outer portionsV into `a circular element.

12. The method of-foriningan insert for a steering WheelWh-ieh consists yin stampingout a sheet nietal blank to forni a :band portion, spoke portions on vone side of said 'band portion, rini portions extending yfroin saidspoke portions and shorter proj ectionsV on :the .other edge of said band, folding -the blank #between the spoke portions and said fband portion, rolling the stainpedblank .into the rforni of a tube and connecting each riin ,portion -to the adjacent spoke. v

13. The method of forniing'a steering` Wheel insert, which consists :in cutting outta sheet nietal blank to forni a transverse band portion With integral strips extending froin oney edgethereof and. shorter .proj ectionsfroin the 'other edgethereof, folding said strips to divide them intospoke portions andriin .portions, offsetting said shorter projections,roll

ing'said "band into the form of atube, forrny ing said projections Aintoaco'ne, and forming said rim portions .finto a circle. Y

Ylfl. `The method of `forming an .insert `for a steering Wheel, .Whichconsists in .stamping out azsheet nietal blank to forni a band por.- tion, spokeportions.projectingvfroin one edge of said band portion, .rim Sportionsextending from said spoke portions, initered portions Y projecting from the otherfsideofsaidsband portion,iand'liub portions extending xfroin saidinitered portions, folding said rirnportions With respect to vsaid spoke portions, ofi"- setting said hub portions with respect to said band portion thereby disposing said mitered portions substantially perpendicular to said band portion, rolling said band portion into the form of a tube by bringing its ends to.- gether, bringing said mitered portions into abutting relationto form a radial flange, rolling said hub portions to form them` into a hub, and connecting said rim portions to bring them into a circular formation. y

15. The method of forming an insert for a steering wheel, which consists in stamping out a sheet metal blank toy form a band portion, spoke portions projecting from one edge of said band portion, rim portions extending from said spoke portions, mitered portions projecting from the other side of said band portion, and hub portions extending fromsaid mitered portions, folding said rim portions with respect to said spoke portions, offsetting said hub portions with respect to said band portion thereby disposing said mitered portions substantially perpendicular to said band portion, rolling said band portion into the form of a tube by bringing its ends together, bringing said mitered portions into abutting relation to form a radial flange, litting a collar around said hub portions, rolling said hub portions and said collar to form them into a hub, and connecting said rim portions to bring them into a circular formation, fitting a top plate over said band and radial flange and inside said band, pressinga lower cover plate up over the outside of said band and securing said lower plate to said top plate.

16. The method of forming the spokes and rim of a steering wheel insert, which consists in stamping strips from sheet metal, folding the strips to form therefrom spoke portions having rim portions at substantially right angles thereto, folding the ends of the rim portions, and inserting said folded ends in the pockets formed in the next adjacent strips by the first mentioned folds.

17. A blank for forming a steering wheel insert comprising a band portion, spoke portions projecting at one edge of said band portion, and rim portions extending from the ends of said spoke portions, said rim portions being offset from said lspoke por.- tions, said portions being so arranged that aI second blank may be cnt with its spoke and rim portions cut from the metal left with the stock sheet from between thespoke and rim portions of the first mentioned blank.

18. The method of forming the rim of aV steering wheel insert from a blank having spokeportions and rim portions integral withv the ends of the spoke portions, which coinprises folding said blank between the rim por-` tions and spoke portions to dispose the rim portion adjacent the fold transversely with respect to the spoke portion adjacent the fold, shaping the free ends of said spoke portionsl portions'to dispose the same substantially at right angles to eachother, andv curving said rim portions to form' a circular rim.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto aiiix our signatures. Y l

BUDD BRONSON. EDWARD R. MARBACH. 

